Srinagar, Oct 28 (KNS): The MoU was signed at the Apple Festival currently underway at Srinagar, with the aim to harness export potential of horticulture and processed food products from the state.

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry will collaborate with food and tech platform company Innoterra to address the gaps in technology, skills, quality improvement and market access.

PHDCCI Kashmir signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with Innoterra, a Swiss-Indian food and tech platform company with commercial footprint in 14 countries. The MoU aims to build capacity and support farmers in the state through farmer cooperatives, aggregators and FPOs to bolster exports and improve market linkage.

The MoU was signed by Baldev Singh Raina, Chair of PHDCCI-Kashmir and Suniti Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of InoterraTech. The signing event was attended by Ajaz Ahamd Bhat (JKAS), Director General, Horticulture Department of Kashmir; Vishesh Mahajan (JKAS) Director, Horticulture Planning and Marketing and Nitin Puri, Head of B2B Marketplace, Innoterra.

According to the MoU, the key areas of cooperation between the two entities include helping Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) access and secure right assistance under all Govt. of India schemes implemented through various departments. The MoU also envisages ensuring sustainability and growth of exports for cooperatives by facilitating technology adoption, building skills and quality, along with better market access.

Innoterra will also facilitate exports by the cooperatives, FPOs, partners and associates identified by PHDCCI and promoted by Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department, NABARD SFAC, NCDC and NAFED. PHDCCI and Innoterra will empower the cooperatives and FPOs to participate directly in global trade events, including B2B & B2C fairs organized in India and abroad. Both the organisations will collaborate to organize awareness programs, skill development programmes and workshops for the farmers at regional, state and national levels.

PHDCCI and Innoterra have also agreed to work in close coordination towards sustainable cluster development in various areas of Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS)